‘At the recent meetings in the regions and the Member Council, most prominently on the agenda was the KFPS Strategy Plan. Everyone has had a chance to familiarise themselves with the content of this plan by reading the meeting attachments. The Strategic Plan dictates the direction for the next five years. So it’s important, because this plan will form the basis for choosing our priorities, for drawing up the Year Plans and the Long Term Budget’, KFPS Chairman Bert Wassenaar says in his column in the June issue of Phryso.
‘Because the chosen course affects us all the input from the members was and is of great value. On the four discussion evenings, each with its own challenging topic, as well as at the regional meetings everyone had the opportunity to speak up.
Strengthened by the fascinating and critical discussions the Board and Studbook office will join forces to draw up concrete plans for the various subjects. The four spearheads: breeding programme, sport & use, society & organisation and encouraging breeding being our main guidelines. We have included all remarks and additional ideas in the Strategic Plan as best as we could.
Most prominent in all conversations was that top of the list comes the wellbeing of the Friesian horse. This has my full support. Not because of the increasingly critical scrutiny from outside our Studbook, but because our society owes it to the Friesian horse. On the subject of health the Studbook has already instigated a lot of research and various DNA tests have been developed. But we cannot afford to lose our focus. In joint cooperation with scientists from several universities, stallion keepers and breeders, health research will retain its high-priority status over the next five years.
Along with choosing the most suitable stallion for your mares, the main focus in the next few months will be on inspections and competitions. The season of training, practising in-hand, under saddle and hitched up to the sjees, presenting, and so forth, because it won´t happen without putting in the effort. Thrilling times, but above and beyond all the hard work also a time to enjoy your own black pearl(s).’
